Alliances (Star Wars: Thrawn, #2)(111)
“Indeed,” Thrawn said. “But we have an advantage.”
“Which is, sir?”
“The Grysks have been studying the Empire,” Thrawn said. “They must therefore know Imperial ships and weapons. We shall use that knowledge against them.”
“And, hopefully, their own cultural blind spots?” Faro suggested.
“Incoming!” Sensor Officer Hammerly called suddenly. “Just out of lightspeed ahead of us. Configuration…it’s the ship we chased out of the Mokivj system, Admiral.”
“Very good,” Thrawn said. Faro’s expression holds a degree less uncertainty now. “Proceed, Commodore. Let us see how we may turn their numerical advantage against them.”
“Yes, sir,” Faro said. Her stance still holds tension, but her voice holds only confidence and resolve. “Signal Lord Vader and the Darkhawk,” she called toward the comm station. “Tell them their target is on the way.”
* * *
—
“Chimaera, acknowledged,” Kimmund called toward the bridge comm, gazing at the Darkhawk’s tactical display. The Grysk ship was headed toward the two drifting ships far ahead, riding a vector that would take them within range of the Imperials lying silent and dark directly in front of them. “Lord Vader, we have target confirmation.”
“Very well, Commander,” Vader’s voice came from the speaker. “Stand ready.”
“Standing ready,” Kimmund repeated. The Grysk ship was getting closer…overshot the mark…
And without warning the blaze of a TIE Defender’s engines flashed into view directly behind the Grysk. The fighter leapt ahead, its laser cannon blasting away at the Grysk’s own thrusters.
The Grysk was caught completely flat-footed. Vader got a double volley into the thrusters before the pilot belatedly jinked in an effort to throw off his attacker’s aim.
Too little, too late. Even as the Grysk tried to leap forward, its acceleration faltered and faded away, leaving it running on a locked vector. “Tephan?” Kimmund said.
“Ready,” the pilot confirmed. She keyed the Darkhawk’s thrusters, kicking them to full acceleration. The Grysk shot past; the Darkhawk matched its speed, then started to catch up. The distance between them shrank; Tephan again adjusted her acceleration—
And with a violent thud the Darkhawk slammed against the Grysk, bouncing once against its hatch before the grapples caught and locked the two ships together.
“Go!” Kimmund shouted. He unstrapped and bounded out of the cockpit, racing toward the hatch. He reached it just as the sizzlers went off, burning through the Grysks’ hatch and sending the warped and blackened metal spinning into the enemy ship.
It had been one of the fastest breaches Kimmund had ever launched. Even so, the Grysks were in position, pressed against walls and in recessed doorways. They opened fire, blasting at Drav and Jid as they crouched inside the partial protection of the Darkhawk’s own hatchway.
And as the blaze of blasterfire and Grysk lightning guns lit up the corridor, Kimmund spotted the slight bubble of distortion as a cloaked figure slipped from the Darkhawk and traveled, unnoticed and unhindered, down the corridor. The aliens’ defense formation began to unravel from the rear as Rukh began working his way up the lines, taking out the Grysks one by one. Nearly half of the enemy was down before those in front even noticed.
By then it was too late. Between Rukh at the rear and Drav and Jid in the front, the whole defense disintegrated.
“Rukh?” Kimmund called as he led the rest of the stormtroopers past the Grysk bodies. “Come on, Noghri—give me a direction.”
There was a flicker, and the diminutive creature reappeared. “This way,” he rumbled, gesturing with his electrostaff. “I smell Chiss this way.”
Kimmund nodded briskly. “Viq, Dorstren, take point. Rukh, hang behind them and call out directions. And keep that cloak on—if we need to throw you at them, I don’t want them to even know you’re there.”
“Understood,” Rukh said. He did something to his chest, and again vanished.
Mentally, Kimmund shook his head. Damn, but he wanted one of those. “Okay, stormtroopers, move it out,” he ordered. “Let’s show the grand admiral what the First Legion can do.”
* * *
—
The Grysk ship had been hit, disabled, and boarded. So far, Grand Admiral Thrawn’s plan had gone exactly as predicted.
Now, Faro knew, came the real test.
“Increased power emanations from Bogeys One and Two, Admiral,” Hammerly called briskly. “They’ve spotted the fight and are coming up to speed.”
“Very good,” Thrawn said. “TIE Commander: Launch fighters in designated sequence.”
“Yes, sir.”
Faro looked at the tactical. Three squadrons of TIE fighters were streaming from the Chimaera’s hangar bay now, expanding to full broadside formation and settling into three well-spaced waves. The two large Grysk ships were still coming to full combat readiness, but already they were reacting to the incoming ships, with Bogey One pulling back a bit while Bogey Two moved toward the TIEs.
A maneuver that was clearly not lost on Thrawn. “TIE Commander, all ships on Bogey Two,” he ordered. “Wave Two, open fire as soon as you’re in range.”